Bartering goods, skills, time, etc.

[John Brown]

I'd happily swap a roll of toilet paper for enough barn find Elm to make a 10 ft kitchen table...

You wouldnt have done that in 1973 :shock: :roll: :roll:

Actually, the Great TP shortage of 1973 didn't really affect the 20 year old me.
Whereas my local Lidl had empty shelves yesterday, prompting my remark.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Well I’ve just checked the recipe again and I did it exactly as per the recipe and used ................... oh dear.

The abbreviation “tsp” doesn’t mean tablespoon, does it? :roll:

LOL! Get yourself some good flour and follow my tutorial on Instructables

 

[eezageeza]

We make our own oatcakes too - they're on the shelves in Morrisons sometimes, but it's cheaper and more fun to make them yourself!
We make ours in a bog standard nonstick frying pan, and toss them like pancakes. Fill 'em with bacon and cheese and they're delicious.
The only difference between our recipe and Steve's is that we add a teaspoon of baking powder to the mixture just before frying - dunno why, that's just what the recipe said, I guess it makes them a bit fluffier.

 

[sunnybob]

I'd happily swap a roll of toilet paper for enough barn find Elm to make a 10 ft kitchen table...

You wouldnt have done that in 1973 :shock: :roll: :roll:

Actually, the Great TP shortage of 1973 didn't really affect the 20 year old me.
Whereas my local Lidl had empty shelves yesterday, prompting my remark.

Lucky you. Newpapers were going for twice their retail value, page three girls had never been so useful. :lol: :lol:

When I was a bike club tech officer at weekend national rallies, my fee was always a vodka and coke for each successful repair. One weekend I fixed 17 bikes. I dont remember much of sunday, and the 250 mile ride home monday was something I vowed never to repeat. :roll: 8)

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Mine is just now starting to ferment. Oddy, Tesco yesterday delivered wholemeal flour instead of brown, so if these work out I've found a use for it - I don't like much of it in bread.

 

[kevinlightfoot]

A proper Stoke oatcake recipe will never be found online and supermarket oatcakes are a very poor example of the real thing,Stokies buy them from the oatcake shop which is usually just a short walk away,traditionally the oatcakes were eaten for Sunday breakfast with a fry up.The recipes are closely guarded secrets handed down in families or to the person who bought the business they were forced to sign the official secrets act.If you are in Stoke on a visit you can buy them usually at weekends but be early most oatcake shops shut before midday.My wife is over there tomorrow and wobetide her if she doesn't bring back a couple of dozen for Sunday's breakfast..Oh I do miss my home town!

 

[Steve Maskery]

The only difference between our recipe and Steve's is that we add a teaspoon of baking powder to the mixture just before frying - dunno why, that's just what the recipe said, I guess it makes them a bit fluffier.

Ooh, I'll have to try that next time

...supermarket oatcakes are a very poor example of the real thing

I totally agree. It's like a good stoneground loaf compared to sliced white.

 

[Steliz]

I've never tried these and I am therefore culturally retarded but I happened to notice that some have stated that the addition of grilled bacon and cheese made them taste better. If I put grilled bacon and cheese (and some brown sauce obviously!) on one of my old sandals I would eat that. Just saying. :lol:

 

[Trainee neophyte]

All this talk about oats. Oats are horse food. You'll be telling me you put oats in crumble next, to make it extra chewy and good for a horse.

Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey
A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?

Edit: barley is singular, wheat is singular, oats are plural. I wonder why? Is it just the s on the end?

 

[sunnybob]

Famous mis-heard quotes...... "I'm just going outside for some oats, I may be some time"

 

[Steve Maskery]

I've never tried these and I am therefore culturally retarded but I happened to notice that some have stated that the addition of grilled bacon and cheese made them taste better. If I put grilled bacon and cheese (and some brown sauce obviously!) on one of my old sandals I would eat that. Just saying. :lol:

Heathen.
S

 

[whiskywill]

There is a local North Staffordshire staple called Oatcakes. They are not a cake, but a cross between a pancake (as they are cooked flat), a crumpet (as they are leavened), and porridge, (as they are made with oats as well as flour).

This is the way I make them.
I

I cooked some for breakfast on Saturday. I am still full. In fact, I might never have to eat again.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I cooked some on Saturday following that recipe.. After the first few, I got them right. My wife spat the first mouthful out and binned the rest. Sorry, I think I would need to be absolutely starving before before I ate one again. I did start me cooking, though - I did banana and walnut cake, bread and pasties.

 

[whiskywill]

It did start me cooking, though - I did banana and walnut cake, bread and pasties.

Same here. I made bread, a banana loaf, a lasagne for Saturday evening and a Sheperd's pie for Sunday lunch.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Well today was the day.
Megan turned up properly equipped, full-face mask, ear defenders, boiler suit, rigger boots and leather apron! 10/10.

We routed a perfectly round disk of ash and made a sample Shaker-style frame and panel door. Lots to learn about depth of cut, cutter direction, spindle speed etc. Stuff you and I might take for granted but is all new to a novice. Not that she is a novice in everything. She earns a living as an artist - working in lots of different media.

She brought with her several sheets of fantastic burr elm, about 4mm thick, from a 300-year old elm tree that had come down in her field. Real droll-worthy stuff. We are going to meet again and try to make those elm veneers into door panels.

In return I got a rather splendid cast iron griddle with two Staffordshire Knots as handles. I think we were both happy with the deal. I certainly was.

She also cooks and makes sloe gin. Unfortunately she uses Gordon's, the rump-end of the gin spectrum. But despite that, I think we could become friends.

S

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Pictures of the griddle?

 

[sunnybob]

Duh! pictures of the trainee would be more interesting. 8) 8)

 

[Steve Maskery]

They've come out a funny colour but:

Those pictures make it look rusty. It's not, not at all. I seasoned it with olive oil and baked it at 240C for 40 minutes. It has a lovely patina.

I'm just disappointed that I already have a batch in the freezer, I want to get on and use it.

 

[galleywood]

Make a batch - and eat them, or send to me, please.